The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-06-29

Senator,
s'Let us suppose case here in Rich
mond county. Suppose, for instance
that majority Of our people should
combine together to deprive the Quak
ers, or tie Catholics, or any other re
Egious sect or denomination, of The
right to worship occording to their re
ligious tenets and forms; denied then
the freedom of speech and the right ot
assembling, and the State took no &C
ton, the general government would have
no right to interfere and protect them
in their rights.
''But would it not be the duty of the
State to protect them?"
"Undoubtedly. But suppose the
State should not discharge that duty.
No appeal would lie to the general gov
ernment It could not interfere unless
the matter should rise to the height of 9
rebellion against the laws of the United
States or an invasion of its territory for
a hostile purpose. a community may
be in rebellion against the laws of a
State, but the general government can
not Interfere to crush out that rebellion
unless the State government invokes its
aid and assistance"
GLOW, then, would you remove the
wrongs which you claim exist in por.
tions of the South, and how would you
prevent the suppression of the ballot,
which you claim is suppressed"
II would propose remedy, but /
doubt whether the Republican party
would come up to it,
"What is that, Senator?"
81 would have Congress enact a law
fixing the time, manner and circum-
stances Of electipg members of Con-
gress, defining aud providing for the
rights of every citizen at such an elec-
ton, and putting it wholly with the gov
ernment for the conduct and regulation
of Congressional elections. In other
words, the entire supervision of the elec-
ton Of members Of Congress should be
with the United States government %
''But is there any warrant for that Ii
The constitutional"
''Clearly; that principle has been de-
cided by the courts on several occasions,
and the Supreme Court has laid down
the doctrine uDequiyocally, and its de-
cisions are in the line OF its establish
ment. With such a statute enforced,
there could be 10 abridge:nent OF the
elective franchise, 10 suppression of bal
lots in elections concerning the interests
of government. Then, If communities.
or even States, should attempt to de
prire citizens Of their rights Of franchise,
the government could lawfully interfere,
put an end to it and rchabilitate every
citizen. With the right of every citizen
to cast his vote and have it counted for
members OF Congress aId electors for
President clearly established and en-
forced, the same right at State and local
elections would soon force itself, al
though there would be no government
interferer ce.
Frhen you would have the same law
apply in the choice Of Presidential cleo
tors that applied il the election of mem
bers OF Congress?"
Certainly, and why not?"
600 you think, Senator, that Congress
VII; DC called il extraordinary session."
That IS hard to tell, but / should not
be surprised. It is true that ii the
President should call an extra session Of
Congress it would be reflection upon
himself, but the financial condition Of
the country demands an early assem-
bling OF Congress. "
GLOW would Congress improve the
financial situation?''
"By reducing taxation and preventing
the accumulation of an unnecessary sur
plus in the treasury. II we go at the
rate Of accumulating over Sl00,000,000
annually Of useless and unnecessary
revenue, and locking it up in the treasu-
ry, all our industrial AID commercial In
terests will be jeopardized.
"But how can taxation be reduced?"
s'By revision of the tariff and modi-
fcation OF the internal revenue Laws"
evil there be revision and modifi-
cation Of the tariff l&ws?"
"Thece vii doubtless be a reduction
on numerous items"
"Where do you think the reduction
should be appied?"
81 think that there should be a de-
cided reduction in the tariff on sugar,
and then q bounty should be paid on
American sugar sufficiently generous to
secure the production of all the sugar in
the United States that our people may
consume. We have the best soil in the
world for the sugar beet and sorghum
cane, covering almost Emitless areas,
and we have larger area adapted to the
cultivation of West India cane as in
Louisiana. We ought to produceau the
sugar We consume, and We may readily
do so by q judicious tariff and liberal
bounties to producers.